Civic District Heritage Trail

This is a self-guided trail.

Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory the Illuminator

Capitol Theatre, Former Namazie Mansions and Former Stamford House

Armenian Street with former MPH building on the left

Masjid Al-Burhani (left) and Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (right)

Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall

From the northern bank of Singapore River to Fort Canning Park and down Bras Basah Road to the Padang, the Civic District is where Singapore’s story began more than 700 years ago. Before it became known as the "Civic District", the civic centre, home to Singapore's key government and public buildings, formed the core of the settlement since its early days as "Temasek".

Historical accounts from the 13th and 14th centuries describe a thriving port settlement here, bounded by the Singapore River and present-day Stamford Road. Though the port was destroyed by the late 14th century, the area remained inhabited on a smaller scale till the 1600s.

When the British arrived in 1819, it was here that they first settled. Though the new establishment quickly expanded beyond the original boundaries of former settlements, it was in this civic core that the British built important civic buildings such as the former Empress Place and City Hall buildings, while the Padang became the focal point for recreation and public life.

This area also bore witness to historical milestones in Singapore’s journey to nationhood, from the formal Japanese surrender in 1945 and post-war political rallies to the first sitting of Singapore’s parliament in 1965.

Today, the Civic District remains Singapore’s seat of governance. It has also since transformed into a vibrant cultural and lifestyle destination with world-class museums, arts and cultural institutions and exciting placemaking developments along the waterfront.

Uncover these transformations and discover what makes the birthplace of Singapore so special through our curated trails: explore the tales from pre-colonial times, British entrepot days and Singapore’s journey to nationhood.